Garlic and Herb-Crusted Lamb |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 20 |
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Ingredients:
4 whole garlic heads |
1 tablespoon dijon mustard |
1 tablespoon olive oil |
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives |
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped |
1 (8-pound) leg of lamb |
12 fresh garlic slices |
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided |
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper |
2 cups fresh french breadcrumbs (about 4 ounces) |
2 1/4 cups low-salt beef broth |
1/2 cup merlot or other dry red wine |
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch |
fresh thyme sprigs (optional) |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves). Cut off top portions of garlic heads. Wrap garlic heads in foil. Bake at 350° 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Squeeze garlic heads to extract pulp. Discard skins. Place garlic pulp, mustard, and oil in a food processor; process until smooth. Stir in chives and thyme leaves.
3. Increase oven temperature to 425°.
4. Trim fat from lamb. Cut 12 3/4-inch slits in lamb; place a fresh garlic slice in each slit. Sprinkle surface of lamb with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; rub with roasted garlic paste mixture. Press breadcrumbs over surface of lamb. Place lamb on a broiler pan. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of lamb, making sure not to touch bone.
5. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 325°. Bake an additional 2 hours and 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 140° (medium-rare) to 155° (medium). Remove lamb from rack; place on a shallow serving platter. Lightly cover with foil; let stand 15 minutes.
6. Drain fat from bottom of pan (do not scrape pan). Place broiler pan on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add broth, and bring to a boil, scraping to loosen browned bits.
7. Combine red wine and cornstarch, and stir with a whisk. Add to beef broth, and return to boiling. Cook 1 minute or until mixture is slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, and serve immediately with lamb. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.
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